A.C.T
Falling

Third of the four EPs planned by the Swedish A.C.T. The Scandinavian band continues to release music in convenient biennial installments of less than thirty minutes (although here they do reach thirty minutes), it's unclear if after completing this puzzle (yes, the covers will also join and form a single picture) they will continue in this manner, but for now, they are content with it.

The music of A.C.T has remained more or less the same for over twenty years; their trademark sound endures, and to our ears comes that same brilliant prog with clear tones. However, we do indeed find some slightly newer solutions, and these new tracks appear decidedly inspired, even if anchored to A.C.T's tradition. I immediately noticed some interesting 80s-style solutions, energetic synth hits, and bouncing riffs reminiscent of a certain synth-pop of those years, plus some electronic percussion hits added almost intentionally to confirm these impressions. Everything is perfectly reviewed and adapted to A.C.T's sound; these sounds are quite evident in the tracks “The Girl Without a Past” and “One Last Goodbye,” but the sounds of “Digging a Hole” are no less so. In general, they have worked rather well on the keyboard parts in almost all the songs; these have always been quite vigorous in their discography but are further reinforced here, dressed in robust and well-designed electronic parts that add something extra.

The more melodic side is better highlighted in the tracks “Breathe” and “The Earth Will Be Gone,” where orchestral arrangements emerge more than ever. But in general, the melodic aspect seems reinforced, that touch of melancholy that permeated the previous EP has been smoothed out but is more or less still present. To counterbalance, but not too much, “A Race Against Time” thinks, probably the hardest track in their repertoire, it touches progressive metal without really reaching it; A.C.T has always included slightly hard guitars in their tracks, which have also contributed to creating a very vibrant sound but had never reached this level.

The overall sensation is thus of a band that has remained faithfully true to its trademark but has raised the bar, reaching a higher level without pushing too far. They also deserve acknowledgement for being able to express themselves and concentrate their ideas into a short timeframe; who knows what might happen if they decided to expand it into a larger project... I do hope that after concluding this quadrilogia they return to a real album to thoroughly delve into what they are adding to the mix.